FIRST WEEK IN THE TNM

Wow what an incredible week. I think I can honestly say my first week in the mission field in Nashville has been one of the best weeks of my life. I've already fallen in love with the city and everyone I've met so far. It only took me a few days to realize the Tennessee Nashville Mission (TNM) truly is the greatest mission in the world like everyone says it is! Last Wednesday I was picked up from the airport by my mission president- President Weaver, his wife, and his 2 assistants Elder Fine and Elder Carpenter, who are also missionaries serving in the TNM! A new set of missionaries come into the mission every transfer (which is a period of 6 weeks). My group coming in only consisted of me and 3 other elders! I was the only sister missionary so it was kind of strange haha, but I loved getting to know the other three at the airport and throughout the next few days. President Weaver drove us all to the mission home where we had a nice dinner and got to introduce ourselves and get to know the mission president and other members of the presidency. All of our leaders are so kind. You can tell how much they love each one of their 240+ missionaries and look at them like their own children.

The next day, two sisters from the mission- Sister Morely and Sister Osguthorpe picked me up and took me to Sonic with a bunch of other elders to celebrate my arrival. They showed me what they do on a daily basis as missionaries! I had a blast with them. Two other sisters came over to have dinner with us. Each one of them had been reassigned from other international missions so they all knew different languages: Swedish, Jamaican, Armenian, and Spanish. It was super cool hearing each of them teach fluently in those languages.

Next thing: my new companion. I have no idea where to begin. Her name is Sister Molly Pocock and she is the LOVE OF MY LIFE. We finally got to meet on my third day in the mission field and our first interaction was her running up to me to give me a huge hug. She is from Virginia Beach and she surfs like I do!! I've never met another person that isn't from Hawaii that surfs. It was super fun to make that connection and she said we'll have to go together when we get done with our missions. She was originally called to Brazil, then was reassigned to the TNM so she knows Portuguese! So we can understand most of what each other is saying when we each speak in our mission languages. We literally became best friends the very second we met. I've never felt so comfortable with someone so fast and it feels like we’re the same exact person. It immediately felt like I had known her my whole life! She's probably the funniest person I've ever met and she is so energetic and kind. There is never a dull moment and we are always laughing. Quick side note for my pals from college- this might be hard to believe but somehow she has even more crackhead energy than me and loves Taco Bell as much as I do haha (crazy right??).

The first companion you have on your mission is called your "trainer" since they basically teach you everything you need to know about how to be successful and how to teach. Most people know that your trainer is usually one of the most special people to you on your entire mission. I feel so blessed to have gotten paired with Sister Pocock. The Lord was really looking out for me when he inspired President Weaver to assign her as my trainer. I love her to death and can't wait to spend these next 12 weeks with her as my companion!

The TNM covers multiple states and tons of dfferent cities, so at the end of each transfer, missionaries are usually moved to a new area or they stay, depending on what President Weaver decides. I was assigned to serve right in Nashville for my first area. We are super close to downtown! The ward Sister Pocock and I will be serving in is the Nashville YSA (young single adult ward). So we’ll be teaching and working with people ages 18-30! We went to a ward Valentine’s Day party and I got to meet a bunch of new people. There are 4 other elders serving in the same ward with us: Elder Wilstead, Thomason, Hart, and Johnston. We’re already super close with them and they’re a blast to be around!

Throughout the week, we’ve been finding people to teach by reaching out through social media, calling numbers around town, and contacting people who want to hear the missionary discussions. Because we’re serving in a YSA ward right in Nashville, we get to use Instagram and Facebook to find people to teach and do our missionary work! Since I’ve been here, Sister Pocock and I have taught dozens of lessons about the restoration of the church, the plan of salvation, life of Jesus Christ, etc over the phone, on zoom, and in person. It has been so fun because I love this gospel so much. I love teaching and sharing the joy that it brings me. That is why this has been one of the best weeks of my life. I have seen the hearts of the people we’re teaching change already. My desire to teach and serve grows every day!

The only problem has been that I’m so used to teaching all the lessons in Spanish, I’ve had to get used to teaching in English again. But it hasn’t been too bad. Unfortunately the Nashville YSA is an english speaking ward so I won’t get to practice or teach in Spanish much. But throughout the week, when we were calling around the area, several different people answered who only spoke Spanish. So Sister Pocock handed the phone to me and I got to teach the first lesson in my mission langauage 3 times! It was crazy exciting.

We got a super funny call from Elder Thomason and Elder Hart a few nights ago. I picked up and Thomason said, “So we did a bit of Facebook stalking and that you’re basically the Bill Gates of cookies? You’re a cookie dealer and you haven’t even made us cookies yet?? We need COOOOOKIESSS.” So now I gotta make them some haha.

Starting on Sunday, the weather has been crazy. We got hit with a huge storm and it was raining ice for several days. President Weaver sent out a group message to all the missionaries telling them to stay inside until the roads get better. So that meant church and all of our in person lessons were canceled. There is a solid inch of ice on the roads and cars outside as well as a bunch of snow. Hopefully it’ll clear out soon but it’s all good because Pocock and I have just been chilling, bonding, and doing all of our work from home (which isn’t hard since most of what we do is on zoom, phone calls, and social media anyway).

Waiting out the storm this week reminds me of the phrase, “And it came to pass,” which is included in the scriptures thousands of times. We can apply this phrase to our own lives as we’re enduring through our trials! All hard times will pass. This storm in Nashville might even pass! When we are amidst our difficult circumstances, we can put our trust in our loving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord."

I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to teach people and serve in the Tennessee Nashville mission / the greatest mission in the world! I’m so thankful to have my new best friend as my companion. I’m so thankful for the love I’ve felt from my Savior this week! I love y'all and I've been praying for you!

<3 H.C.

Pics:

- at the yakima airport

- me & pocock baking a cake

- teeth brushing party

- our first day meeting and going to our area

- video call with our zone leader elders

- RIP egg (on the floor)

- chilling